Sport

Is it advisable to play sports with cold or flu?

Some say that when you have a cold or flu you have to exercise to activate your immune system. On the contrary, others claim that total rest allows you to recover faster. However, both options can be a good idea depending on the type of illness and symptoms you are experiencing.

Sport is good for maintaining and restoring a person’s health. In addition, it strengthens the cardiac system, helps digestion, increases oxygenation and improves the immune system. Therefore, a healthy person knows that playing sports helps keep the body healthy. Although some diseases are compatible with different types of exercise, others warrant excluding physical activity altogether, so it is good to know when you can play sports.

For which diseases is it not recommended to play sports?

Some diseases are capable of significantly weakening the body, so it is essential to see what the symptoms are and consult a doctor to begin treatment immediately. In the case of the flu and an increase in body temperature, it is best not to play sports with a fever, since dehydration is one of the most serious consequences of this symptom.

In this sense, it is important to know that sport promotes water loss through sweating, so if a person with a fever exercises they can become dehydrated more quickly, which can aggravate the symptoms, causing cramps, dizziness and Headaches. Therefore, it is best to rest and hydrate continuously to avoid too great a deficit of water in the body.

On the other hand, a person with bronchitis can tire quickly if they exercise during the illness, because the respiratory system is significantly inflamed, causing air to not reach the lungs optimally. Likewise, both gastroenteritis and diarrhea are incompatible with sports, since both cause severe fatigue and, in some cases, dehydration.

In most transient illnesses, the body remains weak for a few days after recovery, so it is most appropriate to avoid sports when you have an illness that causes exhaustion. In this sense, it is best to pay attention to the body and wait until it has recovered to gradually resume sports activity. In this case, it is advisable to start with a brisk walk instead of a jog. In this way, you can know if the body is capable of making more physical efforts.

Importance of rest

Sport is usually very positive for the body because it stimulates the production of white blood cells that are involved in the fight against bacteria, microbes and viruses, which are responsible for most diseases. However, when a person has a condition, the body becomes vulnerable as it is fighting the problem, which leads to fatigue. This is why it is not recommended to play sports with a cold, especially when the disease produces a fever.

It is important to mention that the body needs all its energy to recover optimally, so if you are wondering how to get rid of the flu from one day to the next, it is best to rest, eat foods rich in vitamins and drink between 1.5 and 2 liters of water per day. Similarly, you should avoid running with a cold if you are experiencing muscle aches. However, it is still possible, even recommended, to practice some sports to fight against other diseases.

What diseases are compatible with sport?

If a person has only a runny nose or a mild sore throat, they can still exercise unless they feel very weak or have a fever. Depending on the chosen activity, training with the flu or going to the gym with a cold can be strengthening for the body. It is necessary to know that sport intervenes in the prevention of chronic diseases, since it can stimulate the metabolism and activate the immune system, which could reduce symptoms.

Sports activity prevents cardiovascular diseases. This is because the heart muscle becomes stronger and blood and lymphatic circulation are stimulated during exercise. In this case, it is advisable to practice active sports, such as basketball, which requires bouncing a basketball while performing other movements.

Also, sport is the best resource for people with back pain, because it is generally related to work conditions or the stress of daily life. In the case of the back, the chosen activity must be adjusted to the type of pain and favor the strengthening of certain muscles in this area of ​​the body. For example, it is advisable to practice water sports. 

Similarly, obesity is a common pathology in our society and can be detrimental to health by causing more serious diseases, such as diabetes, cholesterol and clogged arteries. In that sense, physical activity can help combat overweight and reduce the risks associated with obesity.

What sports are recommended when you are sick?

When a person is sick, it is appropriate to do light sports activities, such as yoga. On the contrary, sports that require great effort, such as tennis or soccer, should be avoided. However, it is considered good to play sports with a cold in a moderate way to improve the respiratory system. 

The most important thing is to practice a sport according to your condition and the ailments you feel. For example, it is possible to exercise with a cold if you already feel better. This usually occurs on the fourth or fifth day of illness.

Finally, we can say that the benefits of physical activity are many when you are sick, it can even help fight certain ailments and provide relief to people with chronic conditions. Similarly, it allows you to have a healthy lifestyle, strengthen your bones and obtain a healthy and muscular body, which in turn helps maintain good posture and delay the discomfort associated with aging.

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